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System of Logic Ratiocinative and Inductive, Vol. 2 of 2: Being a Connected View of the Principles of Evidence and the Methods of Scientific Investigation
Excerpt from System of Logic Ratiocinative and Inductive, Vol. 2 of 2: Being a Connected View of the Principles of Evidence and the Methods of Scientific Investigation
1. The preceding considerations have led us to recognise a distinction between two kinds of laws, or observed uniformities in nature: ultimate laws, and what may be termed derivative laws. Derivative laws are such as are deducible from, and may, in any of the modes which we have pointed out, be resolved into, other and more general ones. Ultimate laws are those which cannot. We are not sure that any of the uniformities with which we are yet acquainted are ultimate laws; but we know that there must be ultimate laws; and that every resolution of a derivative law into more general laws, brings us nearer to them.
Since we are continually discovering that uniformities, not previously known to be other than ultimate, are derivative, and resolvable into more general laws; since (in other words) we arc continually discovering the explanation of some sequence which was previously known only as a fact; it becomes an interesting question whether there arc any necessary limits to this philosophical operation, or whether it may proceed until all the uniform sequences in nature are resolved into some one universal law. For this seems, at first sight, to be the ultimatum towards which the progress of induction, by the Deductive Method resting on a basis of observation and experiment, is tending. Projects of this kind were universal in the infancy of philosophy; any speculations which held out a less brilliant prospect, being in those early times deemed not worth pursuing.
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This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."
1. The preceding considerations have led us to recognise a distinction between two kinds of laws, or observed uniformities in nature: ultimate laws, and what may be termed derivative laws. Derivative laws are such as are deducible from, and may, in any of the modes which we have pointed out, be resolved into, other and more general ones. Ultimate laws are those which cannot. We are not sure that any of the uniformities with which we are yet acquainted are ultimate laws; but we know that there must be ultimate laws; and that every resolution of a derivative law into more general laws, brings us nearer to them.
Since we are continually discovering that uniformities, not previously known to be other than ultimate, are derivative, and resolvable into more general laws; since (in other words) we arc continually discovering the explanation of some sequence which was previously known only as a fact; it becomes an interesting question whether there arc any necessary limits to this philosophical operation, or whether it may proceed until all the uniform sequences in nature are resolved into some one universal law. For this seems, at first sight, to be the ultimatum towards which the progress of induction, by the Deductive Method resting on a basis of observation and experiment, is tending. Projects of this kind were universal in the infancy of philosophy; any speculations which held out a less brilliant prospect, being in those early times deemed not worth pursuing.
About the Publisher
Forgotten Books publishes hundreds of thousands of rare and classic books. Find more at www.forgottenbooks.com
This book is a reproduction of an important historical work. Forgotten Books uses state-of-the-art technology to digitally reconstruct the work, preserving the original format whilst repairing imperfections present in the aged copy. In rare cases, an imperfection in the original, such as a blemish or missing page, may be replicated in our edition. We do, however, repair the vast majority of imperfections successfully; any imperfections that remain are intentionally left to preserve the state of such historical works."
575 pages, Paperback
First published March 24, 2011
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About the author
John Stuart Mill
1,982 books1,933 followersJohn Stuart Mill, English philosopher, political economist, civil servant and Member of Parliament, was an influential liberal thinker of the 19th century. He was an exponent of utilitarianism, an ethical theory developed by Jeremy Bentham, although his conception of it was very different from Bentham's.
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April 6, 2016
Not as good as the first volume, this reads almost like a collection of additional thoughts by the impressive J.S. Mill.
Mill reveals here how close he is to Karl Popper in terms of using probability to determine the applicability of causal connections, only Mill lacks some of the mathematical sophistication with which to decide the limits.
The biggest impressive thought here is how Mill zeros in on the role of language in determining cuts of agency. The construction of what is to be considered and how it is to be considered, validated or verified is a tricky subject matter as including too much or too little of the phenomenon that has a causal connection is difficult to decide, especially if one cannot preform experiments to verify the limits of applicability... although Mill seems to believe that this is possible to do, even something as complex and difficult to suss out like the human mind.
He does believe that there is a singular verifiable view from which to understand agential relations, although he is unable to explain what that view is, or how one should find it given the multitude of differing points of view which would give rise to very different sets of criteria from which to construct causal connections.
Mill reveals here how close he is to Karl Popper in terms of using probability to determine the applicability of causal connections, only Mill lacks some of the mathematical sophistication with which to decide the limits.
The biggest impressive thought here is how Mill zeros in on the role of language in determining cuts of agency. The construction of what is to be considered and how it is to be considered, validated or verified is a tricky subject matter as including too much or too little of the phenomenon that has a causal connection is difficult to decide, especially if one cannot preform experiments to verify the limits of applicability... although Mill seems to believe that this is possible to do, even something as complex and difficult to suss out like the human mind.
He does believe that there is a singular verifiable view from which to understand agential relations, although he is unable to explain what that view is, or how one should find it given the multitude of differing points of view which would give rise to very different sets of criteria from which to construct causal connections.
Displaying 1 of 1 review